One morning, you found a bright red pupa on your windowsill, glittering in the morning sunlight. When held against the light, you could barely make out a shape inside, and sometimes small movement could even be seen. You left it lying there, waiting patiently, and less than two days later, a fully grown Somniant hatched. Like the hatchling, it has a red carapace that is extremely durable, even shrugging off a human stepping on it with ease. It is a fierce hunter, catching insects and spiders that find their way into your room. Once you even watched it raiding the nest of a mouse, devouring one of the newly-born young. Despite looking like ants and even being named after them, scholars among the magi maintain they are more related to wasps. Contrary to regular wasps, both males and females have a sting, even though the males are the only ones who sport wings. You've already made use if its venom a few times to stay awake when you had to meet a deadline. While it was undoubtedly effective, the sting hurt for several days afterwards, making you loath to do it again except during emergencies.

Insects are not among the most common of Magi companions, as many prefer larger companions. Somniants, however, are highly sought after by many Magi thanks to the very useful effect of their venom. The sting of a Somniant affects the sleeping pattern of both humans and animals. Ruby somniant venom has an invigorating effect, allowing the person stung to stay awake longer and push sleep away for a few more hours. These companions are a great asset to everyone who has a job that needs to be finished or is travelling long distances in short time. A sapphire somniant's sting, however, makes people fall asleep, helping them to have an uninterrupted night’s sleep. In addition, those sleeping under the effect of a sting will never be troubled by nightmares. These creatures are highly useful to those who suffer from insomnia or whose minds suffer from past experiences, and those Magi who specialize in healing the mind always make sure to have a few sapphire somniants among their companions. Even though it is possible to collect somniant venom for later use, the effect is far reduced and sometimes even completely gone when applied this way. Some magi think the creatures add a kind of magic to their sting while others theorize that there’s a component in the venom that needs to be administered instantly or otherwise loses its effect. The truth, as it so often is, is unknown.